Gypsum, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gypsum, Colorado
|
|
|---|---|
| Town of Gypsum | |
Gypsum, Colorado, from the hills north of town
|
|
Location of the Town of Gypsum in Eagle County, Colorado.
|
|
 Gypsum, Colorado
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Eagle County |
| Incorporated (town) | November 25, 1911 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home rule municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.966 sq mi (23.222 km2) |
| • Land | 8.851 sq mi (22.924 km2) |
| • Water | 0.115 sq mi (0.298 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,401 ft (1,951 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 8,040 |
| • Density | 908/sq mi (351/km2) |
| • Metro | 55,731 |
| • CSA | 134,774 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81637
|
| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-33695 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412716 |
The Town of Gypsum is a lively town in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. It's the biggest town in Eagle County. In 2020, about 8,040 people lived there, which was a big increase from 2010! Gypsum is known for its American Gypsum drywall factory and mine.
Contents
History of Gypsum
The town of Gypsum got its name from the large amounts of gypsum found nearby. Gypsum is a soft mineral used to make things like drywall. The town officially became a town in 1911.
Geography and Climate
Gypsum is located in western Eagle County. It sits in the valley of the Eagle River. This river flows west and eventually joins the Colorado River.
Getting Around Gypsum
U.S. Route 6 goes right through the middle of town. If you head east on this road, you'll reach Eagle, the county seat, in about 7 miles. Interstate 70 runs along the northern edge of Gypsum. You can get on I-70 from Exit 140. This interstate leads east about 133 miles to Denver and west about 110 miles to Grand Junction.
Gypsum's Size
In 2020, the town covered a total area of about 9 square miles (23.222 square kilometers). A small part of this area, about 0.1 square miles (0.298 square kilometers), is water.
Weather in Gypsum
Gypsum has a subarctic climate. This means winters are long and very cold, with short, clear days. Most of the precipitation, or rain and snow, comes as snow. The air is also quite dry.
| Climate data for Gypsum, Colorado | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33 (1) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
57 (14) |
68 (20) |
78 (26) |
86 (30) |
82 (28) |
75 (24) |
62 (17) |
46 (8) |
33 (1) |
59 (15) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 3 (−16) |
8 (−13) |
19 (−7) |
26 (−3) |
32 (0) |
37 (3) |
44 (7) |
42 (6) |
33 (1) |
26 (−3) |
15 (−9) |
5 (−15) |
24 (−4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.9 (23) |
0.6 (15) |
0.8 (20) |
0.8 (20) |
0.8 (20) |
0.9 (23) |
1.2 (30) |
1.1 (28) |
1 (25) |
0.9 (23) |
0.7 (18) |
0.9 (23) |
10.5 (270) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 164 | — | |
| 1930 | 165 | 0.6% | |
| 1940 | 245 | 48.5% | |
| 1950 | 345 | 40.8% | |
| 1960 | 358 | 3.8% | |
| 1970 | 420 | 17.3% | |
| 1980 | 743 | 76.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,750 | 135.5% | |
| 2000 | 3,654 | 108.8% | |
| 2010 | 6,477 | 77.3% | |
| 2020 | 8,040 | 24.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Gypsum has grown a lot over the years! In 2000, there were 3,654 people living in the town. By 2020, the population had more than doubled to 8,040 people. This shows that many families and individuals have chosen to make Gypsum their home.
In 2000, about half of the households in Gypsum had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 3 people. The median age in Gypsum was 30 years old, meaning half the people were younger than 30 and half were older.
Town Services
Transportation
Gypsum is home to the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE). This airport is very busy in the winter. It helps bring skiers to the popular slopes of Vail, which is about 35 miles to the east.
The town also has several stops for CORE TRANSIT, which is a local bus service. You can find stops at places like Jules Dr, Eagle Valley High School, the airport, Cooley Mesa Rd, and Navajo Rd. The bus fare is usually $1 for kids and $3 for adults.
Education
Gypsum has several schools for students of different ages:
- Eagle Valley High School
- Gypsum Creek Middle School
- Red Hill Elementary School
- Gypsum Elementary School
American Gypsum Company
One of the biggest businesses in Gypsum is the American Gypsum company. They have a large factory that makes drywall. Drywall is a common building material used for walls and ceilings in homes and other buildings. The company ships its drywall products by both train and truck.
American Gypsum also operates an open pit mine in the hills north of town. This is where they dig up the gypsum mineral. The mine currently in use is getting close to the end of its life. The company plans to close it soon and return the land to its natural state. A new mine is being prepared about a mile away.
Unlike many mines that use explosives to break up rock, the Eagle mine uses special machines. These machines are like giant pavement cutters. They cut through the softer gypsum rock in layers. Then, front-end loaders sort the material. They separate the white gypsum from the brown waste rock. Finally, the gypsum is loaded onto trucks and taken to the factory.
See also
In Spanish: Gypsum (Colorado) para niños
